God’s Love

“The ninety-nine within the fold,
Are safe from fears and storms of night,
But one is on the mountains cold,
’Twill perish there—how sad the sight!

Refrain:
“Go search it out, and bring it home,
No more in darkness let it roam;
You’ll find it there in dreadful plight,
Oh! go and bring it back tonight.

2 “The ninety-nine are safe today,
They’re all at home, so fully blest,
But one is wandering far away
Upon the mountain’s snowy crest. [Refrain]

3 “The ninety-nine with care are fed,
And rest within the shepherd’s fold;
But one is starving, nearly dead,
Upon the mountains bare and cold. [Refrain]

4 “The shepherd dear aloud doth weep,
Because one lamb afar doth roam;
The ninety-nine he’ll safely keep—
We’ll seek that lamb and bring it home. [Refrain]
Author: William G. Schell

I had an attitude about the young man sleeping in our living room. (This was back in the day when visitors to the city rarely got a motel room.) Peter – I’ll call him – was not an acquaintance. He was just along for the ride and to have a good time in NYC. I knew Peter had strayed from the Fold and was not living a godly life. I only saw him as a bother.

The Lord looked at Peter completely different than I did. I woke up that first night when Peter was in our home with the words of the above song playing out in my mind: “The Shepherd dear aloud doth weep. Go search it out and bring it home.” Several times during the night a different verse from the song came to me. The Lord who loves “the one wandering far away,” gave me a love for Peter. (Even today while riding the train to church, it makes my heart soft and my eyes teary to think of it.) I loved Peter and wanted to be his friend. I recall chatting with him one day while riding a crowded train; no more did he seem like a bother to me.

Though I lost track of Peter, I did not stop praying for him. Years later, we met up with Peter and his wife at a Peruvian restaurant in Queens. He had returned to the Fold and married a lovely Christian sister. I shared with Peter and his wife that evening of God’s love and how it changed me. Love changed Peter. After telling my story, Peter’s wife said, “No wonder.” It was love that drew the lost one back to the Fold.

The D train is almost at 145th Street Station, the stop for Sugar Hill Mennonite Mission. Today, we’ll worship with people of different tribes and nations. It’s the Sunday for singing and passing out Gospel tracts in a subway station and for a Bowery service. God loves everyone!

Berniece